


Are you Stalking Me?

by Mr_Dadamy_Blake



Series: Jasico Au [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-05
Updated: 2014-04-16
Packaged: 2018-01-14 15:22:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1271407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mr_Dadamy_Blake/pseuds/Mr_Dadamy_Blake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico couldn't be sure if meeting Jason Grace was a good thing or a bad thing just yet but he was sure that it would be the death of him. That and Hazel's boyfriend, he didn't like Hazel's boyfriend and he was a hundred percent sure Frank was afraid of him which, as Hazel put it, was just plain ridiculous.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dinner at my place.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to try and post at least twice a week, enough with being lazy and deciding i'll do it later.

“Are you stalking me?” Nico blurted out after the fifth day in a row that he’s run into the blond in completely different places. “Because if you are it’s cool and everything but could you not come around tomorrow I’m spending the day with some friends.”

The blond stared at the shorter boy. His Italian accent was heavy, he obviously wasn’t from around here. He had thought it was just chance that they frequent so many of the same places. He was amused and troubled by the man’s question and claim.

“I’m not stalking you.” He said he could feel how the blood turned warm in his cheeks and looked away. “If anything you’re stalking me little man.”

“Little?” It seemed to be the only thing Nico heard. He pushed his way grumbling about Americans and blond ones especially. “Anyway, I will leave you to your… to your uh.”

“Business?” The taller man offered highly amused and with raised eyebrows. Nico glared, he was only a couple inches shorter

“Yes, that.” Nico said turning on his heel and walking away. He could feel the blonde’s eyes on him and he also heard the quiet chuckle. Nico took one look at his watch and hurried to pick up his half-sister, Hazel, from her school not that far away from where he’d been. It’s been three years since he moved to the United States from Italy and the only reason he had was because Hazel had found him after her mother died. After their father died all they had left of life was each other and although they didn’t know each other all that well when they first met they’d made such a bond that many would have thought they grew up together.

Nico had been the youngest child. His sister Bianca had been there to help take care of him but she’d left him alone with their father after their mother died and then she’d gone and gotten herself killed in an activist movement. His father had soon begun to follow his mother’s step when he became ill and stayed like that for most of Nico’s childhood. And when Nico turned eighteen the older man passed, Nico tried making it work with his step-mother but soon they found it would be no use and parted ways.

So when Hazel found him he’d been mad and shocked and resentful but not too much because Nico’s family had been kind and loving but Hazel’s mother had been abusive and lost in her own greed. Nico decided that they would go back to America and start new in a land neither had ever stepped on, that was how Nico found himself sitting in a beat up Tsuru waiting for his half-sister to walk out of New Rome High. He found himself glaring at the taller boy laughing with his sister.

The boy looked like he wanted to grab Hazel and run for it. Hazel had the same look in her eyes and Nico huffed knowing that if the boy manned up he’d have to deal with Hazel and her new boyfriend.

“Nico, this is Frank Zhang, he’s coming with us today alright.” Nico huffed and hid his smile when he saw the boy pale a bit.

“Fine, get in.” Nico growled, his eyes narrowing at Frank. Hazel rolled her eyes and she got into the front seat while Frank got into the back. Just as he was about to go the piece of scrap metal decided breaking down would be a fantastic idea. “Wait here, I’ll go see if somebody in your school has… uhm, wires?”

Hazel nodded and twisted in her seat to start up conversation with Frank. Nico stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked into the school, hoping he wouldn’t run into Hazel’s homeroom teacher. Nico didn’t want to get distracted with the man. He walked straight into the Principal’s office. Reyna was a good friend he met before Hazel enrolled into the school and Nico really didn’t want to delve into how he’s acquainted with half the schools staff.

“Reyna, my car is not working.” He said after knocking and opening the door. He tried not to look phased by the two other people in the room. Percy Jackson was, at the moment, trying to balance a pencil on the tip of his nose while Annabeth, his girlfriend, tried not to slap him upside the head while she spoke with Reyna. He tried not to smile at how silly Percy looked or look into his smiling eyes when he noticed Nico, which wasn’t often.

“What’s wrong with it?” She asked, she had the manner’s to look worried. Nico liked that about Reyna, she was polite but he knew when she didn’t really care at all.

“It won’t start… again.” It was the fourth time this week it happened and he seemed to always be in luck because Reyna was always close by to give him a lift. She rolled her eyes and sigh, they were both getting tired of the thing always stopping in the oddest of places. At least, Nico thought, it wasn’t stuck right where the groom’s rented chariot was supposed to park to pick up the just married couple.

“I’ll give you a ride.” Nico nodded and waited. He constantly gave Percy fleeting looks.

“It’s weird.” Nico heard Frank whisper to Hazel in the back seat. “How’d your scary brother become friends with Principal Avila, who is also very scary?”

“Nico isn’t scary.” Hazel giggled. “He’s a big cuddly bear in the inside.”

“That is a lie Hazel. I am no cuddly anything anywhere.” Nico said never even bothering to look back. Hazel giggled and jumped out of Reyna’s car and into their apartment building. Reyna left with the promise of seeing them for dinner like they’d planned.

It was six o’clock when Nico and Hazel’s friends started pouring into the house. They weren’t many, just Percy, Reyna, Annabeth, Leo and Piper but Piper was bringing a friend of hers. She was also the last one to arrive. Nico opened the door and simply gaped.

No, this wasn’t happening, it couldn’t. Nico was positive that if there was any God out there that cared this wasn’t happening but… by the gods this was not happening. Piper was getting worried with Nico’s open-mouthed expression and her friend simply stared back because the thoughts he was having were pretty much the same.

Nico’s been bumping into this man every other day in places Nico always frequented and now he was meeting him in his house. This was some kind of odd joke, it had to be.

“This has to be a joke.” Nico said promptly closing his mouth but never ceasing to stare.

“Are you two gonna kiss? Do you know each other?” Piper asked confused.

“Nico what’s wrong?” Nico turned to his sister and shook his head. His hands went to the air in a fuckitalltohell fashion and let Hazel play host before he went to lock himself in the bathroom for half an hour. “Piper, what just happened?”

“Beats me.” They both turned to look at the cause of Nico’s brain fart moment. The blond was having an equally disturbing one.

“He asked if I was stalking him.” Was all Jason could supply at the moment of his stupor. Hazel’s eyes went wide when she remembered her brother mentioning something of a similar fashion a week ago.

“You’re that blonde he’s always talking about aren’t you?” Jason shrugged at Hazel’s inquiry. She moved aside to let them in and everyone else was actually rather amused by the fact that the people who didn’t know Nico and Jason were Nico and Jason. Talk about mutual friends and awkward coincidences.

Nico looked in the mirror and groaned when he heard knocking. He knew someone would come and try to extract him from the bathroom. He admitted to himself that this was a little cowardly and that out of all the people in the house he was the only who knew how to cook. As far as he knew his blond stalker person didn’t know either.

“Jason, he left the food half done, I think the others are about to eat each other if we don’t get Nico out here. Could you, you know take over the cooking process until he calms down?” Leo asked quietly of his friend. Jason rolled his eyes, he felt uncomfortable cooking in the man’s home. He was just recently asked if he was following the younger man and now he was going to cook in his kitchen. This would probably make it harder to prove to the shorter man that he saying the truth and it had all just been mere coincidence.

He could see Percy groaning dramatically and if it would get everyone to shut up then he would though. Hazel showed him where everything was and what Nico had been in the process of doing. She’d been hesitant at first but after everyone reassured her that Jason was a private chef for some rich family or the other she’d accepted. Her relationship with Jason was, after all, impersonal so she didn’t know him as well as others did.

“Nico, don’t make me break your door down.” Reyna’s threatening voice got a little bit louder with irritation. She was like a Roman ruler and she disliked acts of weakness, especially from people she considered close. It was like her way of caring for their happiness while also scaring the shit out of them.

“Nico you know I hate playing good cop, bad cop but you also know that she’s preparing to judo kick our bathroom door,” Hazel said gently. “We don’t have _time_ to replace it.” Because they certainly had the money. They had the sorry excuse for a car because Nico disliked the new models, he said it felt nostalgic to have such an old beast. He also hated attracting attention and he was doing exactly that.

“Come on, we all want to _eat_.” Percy whined and Nico magically appeared like he never even opened the door. Reyna softened at Nico’s glare at her and the odd look at Percy. She knew he only came out because it was Percy whining and not anyone else. Nico froze at the sight of his stalker in his apron in the middle of his kitchen mirroring his facial expression.

“Are you _absolutely sure_ you’re not my stalker?” Nico blurted out, he felt how his face heated up. “Can I at least get your name?”

Was Nico flirting? It certainly had Piper doing a double take and Percy and Annabeth and practically everyone with eyes that knew Nico for a while now.

“Jason Grace.” Nico’s eyes widened a bit.

“You are Thalia’s… uh, famous? Brother everyone talks about?” Nico said everyone snickered at that. They were in denial about it, the lot of them. Nico wanted to smile at the blush that covered the tall blonde’s face. He turned on his heels remembering why he had an apron that wasn’t his on.

“Are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna help finish this?” Jason said, he denied that his voice cracked a bit in embarrassment. His voice didn’t crack; he wasn’t going through puberty anymore.

“Is he just freaky scary because I’m dating his sister?” Nico heard Frank said. Hazel let her head drop into her hands, honestly Frank was an idiot.

“You think you are doing what?” this was when Nico loved his heavy accent; everyone cringed and took a step back. Everyone except Jason and Hazel. Jason seemed to be immune to the dangerous tone and look and aura and threats. He seemed to be immune to Nico and even a bit amused.

“Nico, me and Frank are dating. I was going to tell you… when Frank wasn’t around to get mutilated.”

“You hadn’t told him yet?” Frank said sounding hurt and somehow that made Nico relaxed because Hazel got this look on her face. It was horror mixed with guilt and suddenly he knew Frank wasn’t supposed to know she hadn’t told him.

“Frank…” Hazel said quietly grabbing the boys hand and dragging him out into the hallway.

“Teenagers.” Percy said shaking his head fondly.

“I remember you didn’t want to tell my mother about our relationship.”

“That’s different.” Percy said scowling at Annabeth.

“No it’s not.” Piper and Leo piped in mischievously. Jason rolled his eyes at them.

“You don’t look like Thalia.” Nico said quietly as he crouched in front of the oven taking out the pan. Noses went up into the air at the smell of food. “I swear they’d starve if it wasn’t for me.”

“What part of Italy are you from?” Jason said decidedly ignoring the comment. “Piper, Leo and Reyna wouldn’t starve. I’m a chef and their long life friend. The other four though…”

Jason grinned at Nico and wondered if the man ever smiled. He admittedly thought of talking to the man during all those coincidences, he seemed to always be in a foul mood and so he thought a friendly face would do him good. But something always stopped him from advancing. He was particularly amused and slightly offended by their encounter earlier.

“I was born and raised in a town close to Rome. Spent my whole life there until I met Hazel.” He said casually, it wasn’t something he was afraid to share everyone knew the story and he was bound to ask someone anyway. None of their friends were good with secrets between each other.

Nico barked at Reyna and Leo to help put the table but it was a motherly tone he achieved. Percy, Annabeth and Piper all had started, eager to finally get some food. Reyna didn’t move once from her place, just to irk Nico a bit. Leo was kind of scared of Nico so the moment Nico had told him to help he jumped to his feet whistling a slave tune that had everyone laughing.

Frank and Hazel only came back in after Reyna went to fetch them saving them the awkward moment if Nico had done so. Dinner like always was filled with silence, everyone was too busy eating to talk. It was only when the finished that the conversation started.

“So, Jason, you’re Nico’s stalker?” Piper said quietly. “I didn’t know you were into that.”

“Piper.” Jason whined everyone else except Nico chuckled.

“Jason the first step to help you with your problem is admitting you have one.” Leo said solemnly. “But by all means explain.”

“We’ve been bumping into each other the past week or so in many different parts of New Rome. Especially the market, we literally bumped into each other this morning. The conversation just spawned from there resulting in Nico asking if I was his stalker and requesting I put off my stalker agenda because he had a thing with some friends and didn’t want it getting awkward.”

Everyone knew Nico could get creative when he was annoyed. You should see some of his threats. But you didn’t want to because they’d be directed at you. They all chuckled at the story of how Jason and Nico met.

“That sounds like Nico.” Hazel said smiling a bit knowing she still wasn’t forgiven. Percy and Annabeth suddenly stood up.

“Well, we have to head home.” Percy said with a huge tired smile.

“Yes, we have work to do.” Annabeth agreed.

Slowly everyone started leaving until it was just Nico and Hazel cleaning the kitchen. It was a silent routine they did everyday just that one Fridays there were a lot more dishes to clean than usual. Hazel hummed to a song like her grandmother had taught her and Nico simply listened because his sister had an incredible voice. Hazel looked once around the kitchen and the only thing left was what Nico had just been doing, so she bid good night and left him to his thoughts.

He headed into the living room only to find that there was an unknown journal lying there. He vaguely remembered Piper bringing one in her bag, she’d boasted about it for a good fifteen minutes before he left the bathroom. He shook his head because only Piper would raise her voice just enough for even Nico to hear it down the hallway and inside the bathroom where he’d been busy trying to organize his thoughts. He grabbed the journal and inspected it, it looked pretty knew.

He’d give it back to Piper next Friday; she obviously wouldn’t miss it if she forgot it here. Piper never forgot anything.


	2. Okay Maybe It Is Bad.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's day is great except for the fact that Percy, Jason and Octavian are all guest stars and Nico kind of wishes he didn't have to deal with any of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said every other day? Ha! Jokes on you, I don't have a posting schedule or an editor so I have to do it myself and that's the boring part, I don't have *time* for boring stuff. If there's any mistakes please be a dear and let me know.

“Before you say anything,” Jason started cautiously when Nico turned around. “Piper told me where you worked for a really good reason.”

“That reason would be?” Jason shivered a bit when he heard the shorter man talk. Nico raised an eyebrow at him and Jason was sure that he could read his thoughts. The man was intriguing to him and he couldn’t get over the fact because he hadn’t been interested in anyone since he and Piper broke up.

“You have my journal.” He answered with a small smile. He wanted Nico to smile, he wanted Nico to smile because of _him_. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it and his boss had complained about to much seasoning on his food. That never happened. Jason looked around the small office space the journalist had, he’d been surprised about that because Nico didn’t seem like the type of person that would be a journalist. Of course he also hadn’t expected for Nico to be the Dear Nikki columnist either.

“Oh I thought it was Pipers.” Nico dismissed easily. “As you can see I’m working right now, so you can either wait or come to my house tomorrow, I don’t work Fridays.”

And that was the end of the conversation. Nico diligently wrote, his long thin fingers flying across the keypad typing words of obvious comfort and advice. He was frowning at the screen and Jason caught himself staring for a little while before turning around and reopening Nico’s office door.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Jason wasn’t worried about his journal in Nico’s possession. He didn’t seem to be the kind of person that read something that was private and didn’t pertain to him. He would have found time to go on Saturday, which was when he figured out he’d forgotten it, had he left it at Percy’s or Leo’s or Piper’s. Annabeth and Reyna were smart women and knew not to delve into someone’s personal life like that.

So Jason left and resigned himself to finding ingredients for tomorrow’s impossible business dinner his boss was having. He then hung out with Leo for a while which turned into Leo teasing Jason because he’d spaced out thinking of Nico.

Nico took to walking home after his car refused to move again. He didn’t expect to find Percy on his way there.

“Need a ride?” Nico nodded suddenly wondering why Jason Grace had a scar on his lip. He didn’t seem to be the kind of person that would get scars for the heck of it.

 Nico’s place wasn’t that car away but Percy had enough time to figure out that Nico was spacing out about something. Nico wasn’t one to space out or smirk while he did it. Percy had a bad feeling about whatever had Nico looking like that, so he did the most logical thing he could and waved a hand in front of Nico’s face and saying his name until he snapped out of it. Nico was also baffled with it because he’d been thinking about this Jason character.

He barely knew the guy except for the fact that maybe they had a couple things in common. What did the man do for a living anyway? Where did he live? He knew where Nico lived, he knew what Nico worked in. How was it fair that this guy whose name he can barely remember know so much about him and yet he apparently knew nothing.

“Nico! Snap out of it man.” And Nico did, turning to look at Percy. He raised an eyebrow at him.

“Yes?” Nico hissed pleasantly. He didn’t really want to talk with Percy because he tended to forget how to do so around him. The moment the car stopped in front of Nico’s loft building he jumped out but Percy followed.

“Nico, stop.” Percy said keeping up easily. “Is there something wrong?”

“What?” Why would he think something is wrong? Nico frowned and shook his head while heading up into his loft. “Nothing is wrong.”

Nico ended that conversation just as easily as he had the one with Jason. This time using a little more force than necessary since he slammed the door in Percy’s face.  It didn’t help though because he came in to Hazel and Frank being sickly cute and that stopped because Frank fell of the couch when the door slammed. Honestly he didn’t mind the relationship, he knew they would never get past that cute cuddly thing they had going on. If they did Hazel had enough sense to know Nico didn’t want to know anything as long as they were being safe.

It amused and annoyed Nico that the boy seemed to forget how to speak correctly in front of him. But it mostly annoyed him, he didn’t like having to decipher what the boy had to say. Nico simply stared at him laughing internally before giving Hazel a look. She rolled her eyes in a loving manner.

“Shut up son.” Nico said sternly. “You’re just making a fool of yourself.”

“Yes sir.” He’d collected himself enough to answer that and look at the floor to hide his blushing face. Nico still saw it because he did the same with Percy most of the time. Nico contained his laughter because the kid was afraid of him and as Hazel put it, that’s just ridiculous. He’d proven to the kid that he was okay with him as long as he didn’t hurt his little sister. He still didn’t like him though, he maybe what Hazel wants right now but not what Hazel deserves. Nico would never think differently no matter how ‘okay’ the kid seemed to be.

Nico sat down across from them just to fuck with the kid. Frank looked everywhere that wasn’t Hazel or Nico because they all knew Hazel had the same weird sense humor as her brother and was enjoying seeing her boyfriend squirm uncomfortably. Nico let out a chuckle and grabbed Hazel’s homework from under her hand. It was a well-known fact that Frank was dyslexic. It was a not so well known fact that Nico was too, actually only Hazel knew. She also knew that Nico was ADHD but his mother and father had forced him to overcome the dyslexia although it was nearly impossible so Nico simply figure a pattern in it. Certain numbers and letters would switch.

He looked at for a little more than necessary. Hazel giggled and took the paper back after the look Nico got on his face.

“I don’t understand how you do it as a journalist.” She said. Frank got this curious look on his face that was mixed with uncertainty, like he maybe wasn’t allowed to be curious about Nico. Nico rolled his eyes and leaned backward getting comfortable all the while his eye never left Frank and he tended to glare instead of stare.

“Ask already.” He said with a shit eating grin. He looked like he had a gun somewhere and when Frank asked he’d pull it out and shoot him repeatedly for not knowing.

“Why?” It was all he managed to say.

“I’m dyslexic and have ADHD” Nico said easily. Frank seemed to relax only a little bit before remembering that this was Nico and one wrong move and his head could be rolling on the ground. He also seemed surprised and Nico could make out the word journalist somewhere in his mumbles. He started getting bored and wondered what would happen if he put his phone in the blender and had the sudden urge to try it out.

He had to stop himself though because he knew that wasn’t a smart idea and that if he really wanted to know he was sure the internet had a couple videos of it. It didn’t stop him though from going into the kitchen so he could get occupied with deciding what he’d make for dinner. It was always a little too much of everything since he’d be in the middle of one thing when he’d start making another on impulse. It was the biggest reason as to why everyone came over on Fridays, Nico always had too much leftover from the week and even if he gave a good half of it to the shelter down the street he still had a lot.

The doorbell rang in the middle of making baked potatoes and Nico beat Hazel to the door. She’d been too busy snogging with Frank in the living room and Frank looked just about ready to bolt. But just as he opened the door though he was distracted by a fist caressing his face, damn, he had the best jibe for Frank too. Nico stumbled into the coffee table after losing his footing. He hadn’t seen the person until said person was standing above him with a seething look on his face. For a moment he thought it was that Jason character until his eyes refocused and he saw Octavian being his livid self.

“Shit.” Was all Nico had to say, splinters from his broken table were stabbing him everywhere. Octavian wasn’t the most pleasant person that could have punch him, anyone else would have waiting to be inside. Octavian liked doing things his way apparently that was probably why he was so pissed.

“You promised.” He growled.

“I… I what?” Maybe Nico was nursing a concussion, maybe Nico simply didn’t remember what he promised.

“You _promised.”_ He insisted.

“Promised?”

“ _Yes promised_ ” Octavian’s hissing voice sent shivers down Nico’s spine. In under a minute Nico found himself up on his feet and pressed against the wall. The overwhelming smell of whiskey suddenly becoming an overwhelming taste since his ex-boyfriend had his tongue down Nico’s throat. Nico remembered now why he’d actually lasted a year with him. He also remembered maybe having a concussion but the world spinning could be the fact that he couldn’t breathe and he still had his eyes wide open.

Octavian was pulled off Nico by big bear like hands that belonged to a certain Canadian boy. Nico’s legs gave out from under him and he fell to his knees. He took in deep breaths of air and he blinked rapidly trying to process what had happened.

“What did I promise?” He asked confused. Octavian was sleeping on the couch now and Nico was looking at him with the weirdest urge to go lie down next to him. He also remembered loving Octavian at some point and not regretting it one bit but he’d been the one to break up with Octavian because it hadn’t been fair that he was trying to forget someone else with him. The blond man hated him for it and Nico had hated himself for it too.

“Who’s that?” Frank asked forgetting he was afraid of Nico.

“It’s Octavian, Nico’s ex.” Hazel supplied trying to figure out. “How many fingers am I holding up Nico?”

“Um, ten?” He said his sight blurring a bit and seeing two Hazel’s. So maybe he did have a concussion.

“Okay I’m taking you to the hospital. Frank get your car,” Hazel said worriedly, Frank looked torn between going and asking about that blond guy. “Frank, Octavian will be gone when he wakes up, get the car!”


	3. Strategy and Hospitals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha! finally, I've been putting this off long enough and now I officially declare this part of my soon to be a lot more structured universe done. This is the last chapter for this story and hopefully soon I will turn this into a series, I don't know yet how long I want this series to be but I sure as hell know I'll be posting more often during spring break and if my grades are as horrible as I think they are every once in a oops-I-forgot-I-was-writing-this while. So you better sit down if you're willing to wait.  
> p.s. If there's any mistakes please inform me my editing skills are worth shit.

Jason was called over by Piper because something happened and she needed his help. She never told him what happened but she told him to go to the hospital and to what room he should go. He thought that something had happened to one of their friends and it had him reeling, had Reyna’s mother finally caught up with her? Or had Leo suffered an accident in his shop? Piper was okay she’d been the one that called him. Had Percy or Annabeth been attacked? Or was it anyone else they knew?

The questions were a storm cloud pouring worry down onto his person. He reached the hospital and soon after went to where the nurse had directed him. He was relieved to find that the people present weren't harmed except for one shirtless man who was complaining with the nurse that was plucking out wood chips from his back. Why had Piper called him to help the Italian if they weren’t even close? He was sure Nico wouldn't be happy to see him at all but he seemed a bit out of it.

“Piper called me.” He explained to Hazel. She was giving him a look that resembled a lot like the one Nico usually wore when they came into contact. It must be a trait they got from their father because the resemblance was actually a bit disturbing. “What happened?”

“He got punched into our coffee table by his ex-boyfriend.” Hazel said shortly. He knew that if he wanted details he’d probably have to ask Nico himself. Something about that made him feel sick, had the man been in an abusive relationship? He had the sudden urge to punch whoever did anything to the dark man and… _boy_ friend? Jason had not expected that. “I asked Piper to help me keep watch I guess she’s busy.”

No, that wasn’t right, Piper was never too busy to help a friend and they seemed really close friends at that. Piper had something up her sleeve and Jason had a feeling he wouldn’t like what his ex-girlfriend was planning. The nurse finished her job and left with hasty instruction to wait for the doctor to come and check him out and if Nico fell asleep they were to be notified immediately.

Jason hated waiting for doctors it’s like they took their glorious time to get to their patients, even if they were actually busy attending to worse off people than a couple splinters and apparently a contusion. When the doctor finally got there Hazel looked so worried that Jason put extra attention to what the doctor said just in case Hazel zoned out. Nico had been given meds for the pain and even if it wasn’t much it had him with a very dopey grin on his face.

He drove Nico and Hazel to their loft before asking about Frank, he was shining for his absence in all this.

“I sent him home,” She said looking relieved to be out of the hospital and as far away from it as she could. “He didn’t sleep well last night and he was tired.”

Jason nodded and helped a stumbling Nico up the stairs, the smaller man’s eyes were drooping with the heaviness of the medication he was given for his back. He didn’t know how Nico was supposed to stay awake when he was hopped up enough to stumble around.

“At least it’s just for tonight.” Hazel said. “I know you barely know us but thank you for doing this.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“Stalker!” rang through the apartment startling both Hazel and Jason. They turned to look at Nico and Hazel snorted. “I thought you were Percy.”

Jason raised an eyebrow, he didn’t know if he should be insulted or worried because he didn’t look like Percy. They couldn’t be more different. Jason was tall, smart, blonde and was an amazing cook. Percy was, Percy had Annabeth and Annabeth had enough of everything for both of them. It was kind of sad that she was his only redeeming quality.

“Percy? Why Percy?” Jason made it a point to sound hurt even though it was ridiculous, the man was drugged and in obvious pain. Why did they let him out of the hospital to begin with? Nico didn’t say anything.

Jason helped Hazel pick up pieces of furniture while they kept Nico talking. It was the only sure way they could think of that could keep the man awake. Jason started noticing a pattern in the way Nico talked, one moment it was how his day had been, then it was something Percy did, a funny story from his childhood and something more that Percy did. And so on, and so on.

He and Hazel sat down next to the black haired Italian. If he heard him talk long enough he could forget Nico had an accent, then he would start talking with his hands and suddenly it was even more evident. Jason watched with amusement how Nico’s eyes shined. His long elegant pianist fingers waving in the air in a gesture of carelessness.

“…And that’s how I fell in love with Percy Jackson. I didn’t know it back then, I was in denial…” That was all Jason registered. He turned to look at Hazel. He’d never seen her cold. A small movement Nico didn’t notice, of a hand going slowly across her neck and then a single gentle finger pressed against the thin line of her lips. It was enough to have Jason sitting straight, with a sharp nod he continued listening to Nico talk.

He wasn’t sure if he liked the fact that Nico Di Angelo was in love with Jackson of all people. He didn’t really know what to make of it either...

“Go to bed Hazel.” Nico said suddenly. He’d long ago gotten over the drug’s effects and had refused anymore being administered to him. It was close to midnight now. Hazel gave him a sharp look and Nico waved it off like it was nothing. Jason was surprised about how intimidating Hazel was, on the outside she was like a miniature bundle of joy and warmth and friendliness. On the inside she wasn’t all that. In the couple hours he’s spent with the half siblings he noticed how similar they are but something about Nico…

He seemed more intriguing and mysterious than Hazel. Jason wanted to make it his personal challenge to make the shorter man smile and tell him more about his life, although he doubted it would happen until the man was drugged once more. He doubted that would happen too. Nico had tried shoeing him away but Jason was stubborn in his best moments.

“So… You like Percy?” Nobody said Jason was smart with words or tactful. He was mentally slapping himself for causing the withering look the shorter man was giving him.

“No.” Nico said. “Whatever I said earlier you should take like a grain of salt.”

Jason knew it was smart to not push it that didn’t mean he wouldn’t. He watched as the Italian made his way into the kitchen and he followed. They both knew he was on the brink of falling asleep, so he busied his hands with washing what little dishes the two siblings used. Jason looked around the kitchen trying hard to come up with the words.

“You and I both know what you said, no use denying it. There’s nothing wrong with liking someone.”

“You’re right,” Nico stopped rinsing the purple bowl and left it under the stream of water before turning around and facing Jason. He was grimacing, “it’s not wrong to like someone unless they have a fiancé, whom they are marrying at the end of June next year. You can’t tell anyone.”

Jason had forgotten that bit of information.

“I won’t, I promise.” Jason jumped onto the counter.

“Get your ass off of where I make my food.” Nico growled resuming washing the purple dish.

“So you’re a decent cook and we have a long night ahead of us. How about we exchange recipes?”

“How about you go on to your home and leave me alone.” Nico muttered sending him a dirty look.

“How about no?” Jason hummed smiling impishly in a way only Leo could teach him. Another dirty look was sent his way.

“How about yes?” Nico was annoyed Jason could see it.

“How about I teach you how to make Gyro and you teach me how to make Ribollita?”

“You don’t know how to make Ribollita, what kind of chef are you?” Jason couldn’t help but smile as Nico turned to face him once more with his hand on his hips and his face twisted into an ugly glare. “I already know how to make Gyro but if it makes you shut up I suppose I could teach you how to make Ribollita…”

Jason chuckled he watched as Nico go around his kitchen and he could feel how the Italian was getting comfortable. This was the start of an interesting friendship, Jason just knew it…


End file.
